Unbreakable
by shadow62123
Summary: To Korra, being born in a prison, was simply something she had to deal with. She viewed her life like a novel, with each chapter having a themed description of fear, anger, and an overwhelming sense of disappointment. However, when it is discovered she is the Avatar she is offered a second chance in life, but will Korra be able to hope again? (AU)
1. Invictus Part 1

_Unbreakable_

_Out of the night that covers me, _

_Black as the Pit from pole to pole, _

_I thank whatever gods may be _

_For my unconquerable soul. _

"What's the last thing you remember?" The shadow's voice motions into the night across the cell without an echo; the sliver of shadow breath barely making an appearance much unlike himself. It appeared as though the human before her was a shadow man elegantly floating around the room, carelessly forming and reforming, within each and every part of the darkness.

There were too many answers to the simple question the shadow man had asked her. If there's anything the figure wants to know on her memory, then he was going to have to be more specific. In this case she's aware of what the figure wants her to say. The desire to know every memorial retention flowing in her mind from another affected by what has happened in the past. So she stares at the figure waiting in the darkness in the small rocky cell, no bigger than a closet without any windows. It's apparent the cell has been poorly taken care with a thick funk in the air, no draft from an air vent, and low volumes of drips and scratches caught by the prisoner's ears. The dripping of water can be heard directly above her, along with a thin crack barely providing any light above them with its faintness, but it's the only source of light in the room. The rock she sits on is smooth and worn, as if heavily used, yet still uncomfortable all the same.

She looks down briefly sighing for a moment, before looking back up at the man. The shadowed figure stares back reading the look in her eyes like a novel. Each chapter with a themed description of fear, anger, disappointment, and even still an overwhelming sense of darkness. Everything deemed acrimonious as the prisoner stares into the iniquity straightaway ahead of herself which the light does not shine upon.

Her hands relax on her lap, along with the sleeves of the damp dark green shirt she was given during her arrival here. Her matching dark green pants, wet at the bottom with torn threads at the rim, barely keeping her dark toned skin warm underneath, her right leg relaxing over the other in a shown cognizance of calmness and tranquility; her bare feet shown out in the darkness and contained a mixture of dirt, dried blood and snow from the tip of the front to the back of the heel. Her body's kept slim yet strong, but bows slightly as if weary and tired, her eyes contained a dull color that shown a blue in the dark. Her shoulder length hair was a dark brown, which hung in clumps and knots. To the right side of her forehead was evidence of a previous blow, followed by a trail of dried blood, her left eye was black. All in all the young girl looked to be about seventeen.

Though they were alone in the small cell the girl was constantly looking around the area without any movement of her muscles in expectation for what she feared may be her last day. When she was done, her attention would go directly back to the shadows. Her split bottom lip frissons, but the voice remains strong as she spoke.

"Is that supposed to be an easy question to answer?" Her eyes leisurely travel down to the hard rocky floors, some cracked bits of rock standing up from the carelessness of the property. "Why should I even talk to you anyway" she states almost bitterly.

The Shadow Man stares back at her silently waiting for the girl to reach her own conclusion of reasoning, as she bitterly stares back glaring at the shadowed figure before her, being angry at nothing, and no one but herself.

She blinks her eyes silently before opening them again "I remember the pathetic childhood I went through growing up as a kid. It was sad waking up every morning having to seek the very end."

She looked down briefly, as if not wanting to face her shadow, "My parents were Senna and Tonraq..."

Before her eyes a great storm began to take place across the magnificent icy plain, wind roaring in a great loud fury, of a wild animal. Upon its hapless subjects, the great blizzard showed no mercy, slinging icy knives, across the frozen landscape, raining down on any unfortunate living thing that dared to defy it. There was no sun here, as the sky was mutilated into a dark depressing gray that smothered all who came in contact. Forms appeared and reappeared ceaselessly throughout the barren landscape, clusters of small, frostbitten twigs, a sign that life could cling on, even here.

Standing in defiance of this fantastic storm stood a group of buildings encased in tempered black steel, with guard houses and barb wire barricades, constructed several years ago. It was here that the main building stood out, it was constructed from the strongest metal, which stood out even among the unforgiving gray landscape. Flanking the building were two smaller identical buildings each sporting a a massive smoke stack, constantly spewing a black trail of smoke. This constant stream could be seen for miles around, even in the blindness of the blizzard. The dark swirling cloud mixing, with the constant stream of ice forming a black, icy sludge.

This walls of the main building appeared to moan in response to the blizzard, as they hummed to the sound of the prodding winds, it was here that dark forms appeared in this world of gray, blindly walking the small group of prisoners, back from a hard day in the work camps. The relentless wind found every opening in the prisoners clothing, no matter how small, scratching them with icy fingers wherever it touched. With a small, regretful sigh one looked back into the gray before walking on, he was a once proud warrior of the Southern Water Tribe, General Tonraq.

The man walked forlornly as the iron gates of the prison screeched open, and looked around the stark black walls contrasting against the gray background, the warm air of his breath instantly dissipating in front of him, he was a true bear of a man, with a large muscular frame, his face held a short beard, grown out from time and neglect, ice clung to the rough face as he slogged through the icy snow, his great form bowed slightly as if tired from a great physical exhaustion, it appeared as if he was as a shell of his former self conquered now by the prison he now found himself in. The boots he wore had holes in them and were well worn as he took every numb step being faintly aware of each and every bruise rocketing across his body.

On the steel walls of the compound, hung a dark green banner, the symbol of all Tonraq's pain, it shown a dark green with three large black stars, centered in a triangular pattern, this was the symbol of the Southern Earth Monarchy, which had since invaded the Southern water tribe four months ago, upon the death of Avatar Aang, under orders of the General Lao, warlord of the Southern Earth Monarchy.

Now the once great general was at mercy to the cruelness of the Earth Monarchy, thrown into the inhospitable prison camp, the Earth kingdom guards relished in their newfound power, and the former soldiers now found themselves prisoners in their work camps. As he walked through that blizzard, Tonraq thought of a brighter place, when both he and his wife Senna, were brought here, she was pregnant and besides the strain on his wife and the idea that his daughter would spend at least part of her childhood stuck in a prison was particularly worrying, he still saw the child as a blessing and a new hope for their culture.

AsTonraq shuffled back to his cell a woman instantly came up to him sharply, the side of her face held a burned angry scar, and she held a curt serious tone about her. "It is time" she said the man's eyes widened slightly as he ran back to his cell to confront his wife.

It was here in this dark cell that Korra was born, when the blizzard had reached its peak of power. It appeared as if the entire metal structure shook slightly, and echoed a shark ringing noise, heralding the tiny new life into the world.

Tonraq looked at the small bumble to dark brown hair sleeping peacefully with his wife, "She's perfect" he said breaking the silence, two of his former soldiers had surrounded them, keeping their distance , yet staying near, placing a watchful eye on them, prisons were a dangerous place. Tonraq looked now at her and frowned "She shouldn't be here, you shouldn't be here Senna"

She frowned in response looking back down at their daughter "There's a time and place for worry, but this is not that time. You know there were no more transports going out, we would've ended up here eventually. Everything happens for a reason and we are here now, together, let us make the most of it"

"I'll try" Tonraq said looking faithfully at his new daughter

(Page break)

The warden of the camp was a dark twisted man that made it his entire purpose to make life miserable for the members of his prison. Nature was not kind to this man and had blessed him with an awkward misshapen body, that moved around his underlings in a stark unnatural manner, to him everything in the prison was his and could thusly be used for what he wanted, the prisoners by day went out to mine the cold tundra in chains, acts of defiance were met with harsh retribution, and the once proud unit of southern Water Tribe Soldiers now fell prey to hunger and weariness.

The South pole was rich with natural mineral resources, and thus each at the soldiers would go out every morning mining the work fields, and return in the evenings tired and weary from a day work, food and clothing were sparse, however they managed to hold on, and Senna and Tonraq, watched their daughter grow up under the protection of the other water tribe soldiers. Then there was the day Korra discovered her bending.

"Prisoner, you did not bow as I passed" The sharp voice of Sargent Morea echoed throughout the chamber

Tonraq turned slightly facing the warden's lackey daring at the piercing snake-like green eyes, daring for him to go forward, Morea was the Warden's enforcer, if you could call him that, he was a sharp sadistic man, with three particularly dangerous traits: physical strength, a lack of wit, and a high temper. Tonraq gave the snake man a steely gaze daring him to go further. The snake man stared back with a predatory gaze, like an animal sizing up its prey.

"I was not aware such a regulation existed" Tonraq said in a level tone, behind the bars, Senna and Korra watching briefly in the distance. The Sargent opened the bars of their cell with a fragile creaking sound, walking face to face with the weary general who stared back locking eyes with the slightly shorter man.

Morea gave a slick smile that made Tonraq feel sick to his stomach "Now you wouldn't want your wife and child to be punished for your disobedience would you?"

Tonraq silently closed his eyes for a moment, taking the entire scene in, it wasn't worth his pride to have his family hurt, and he breathed out calmly looking briefly at Senna and the four year old Korra, before he slowly bowed to the Sargent. It felt disgusting to the general, however their survival in prison was more important. Sargent Morea turned now to Senna and Korra taking the situation to its fullest extent, motioning for them to bow as well Senna properly bowed to the snake man, while Korra stood still standing eyes raised up defiantly against the older man blue eyes shining like stars in the darkness. Instead of bowing she stepped forward slightly shaking her head slightly.

The little girl stared down the man, much like her father had done "No" it echoed throughout the cell "Papa said I shouldn't bow to anybody that includes you"

At first the Sargent stood there like a fool, like a bowling ball had just been dropped on his feet, his mouth formed in an "o" shape as the girl glared at him, before a subtle hissing sound echoed the room, quickly this passed as a look of fury crossed his face. How dare this thing, this child defy him, and his authority. Automatically without thinking, his hand swung out hitting the four year old on the left side of her face, echoing out in the chamber.

Senna instantly sprung up to the aid of her daughter, while Morea, and Tonraq turned and looked at each other, each barely registering what happened, it was now that Morea realized his mistake for he looked into Tonraq's dark blue eyes, and saw murder. Now the great bear of a man stood up to his full height and rocketed into Morea with a mighty body shot, instantly cracking ribs, he was on the ground now, as Tonraq buried his foot into Morea's chest, the snake felt breath being blasted out of his lungs calling out for help.

"I'll kill you", Tonraq roared adrenaline coursing through his body, through his very soul "I'll kill you right where you stand" he said landing blow after blow to the Sargent. Three guards entered the room trying to restrain the flailing man, as Korra and Senna watched in horror, the bear picked up one of the guards throwing him into the Sargent, as the other two tried to contain him, Korra sprung forward suddenly as a he guards almost restrained Tonraq and shot a single fire blast into the guards.

It was now that the entire room stopped for a moment to stare incredulously at the child, still in a perfect stance ready to fire again, from behind her Sargent Morea seized her around the neck, while the three guards seized Tonraq. Tonraq looked briefly at Senna then Korra, how could the girl be a fire bender? As one of the guards made a snide comment about Senna, Tonraq exploded again ripping into the man, as two more guards. Arrived to control him.

"Take him to the cooler" Morea barked at the guards, who quickly shuffled out of the cell, Tonraq fighting them all the way. Before throwing Korra back in with Senna, and locking back the cell. The man turned to Senna desperately holding on to Korra. The snake looked back at Senna, a predatory look gracing his face.

She looked back at Korra, with a small bruise forming on her cheek before looking back at him "I sincerely suggest you leave"

"This won't stand" He said coldly "There will be punishments"

It was now Senna's turn to snap back "News in prison travels fast" She said with venom in her words "Just wait until your war prisoners figure out you attacked one of their general's children, see how your warden reacts to a prison wide riot"

"Is that a threat?" Morea shot back

The woman glared at him standing up to her full height "It's whatever you want it to be sir" she grunted out

(Page break)

The warden eyed Korra with a look of disgust, as word of the miraculous fire-bending child spread around the guards, to him the prisoners were nothing more than a means to an end and this girl was no exception. The child stood before him now still staring at him with an annoyed glare, as though sensing his general hatred to her mere existence. Korra had been nothing less than a burden at this prison, she was the one spark of hope to the downtrodden Water tribe soldiers, a memory of their long passed freedom. On the other hand the cruel warden couldn't simply dispose of her, their one spark, as that would cause riots in the already tenuous situation of the prison, not that his moral compass would be in any way offended.

Sargent Morea stood behind the girl who was flanked on either side by a guard, an excessive measure on the part of the warden, still the now bandaged Sargent insisted on the precaution for his leader. He noticed a sizeable bruise on that thing's left cheek, what would otherwise be noted as unnecessary punishment in the prison, was simply regarded by the warden as the guards' attempt to maintain control amongst the inmates.

The warden gave a dark smirk at the child, behind his thick dark sunglass like spectacles. It could be noted that this creature was very pale, and stood there like a ghost, wishing demonic things about the world. He had a thin body that moved in grotesque motions, he was like an animal this devil man, though this would be an insult to certain species. He towered over Korra with a masterful air of superiority as he spoke in a deep hollow voice, to which no care could be extracted from " Would you please repeat your statement Sargent Morea"

The snake-like man leaned forward slightly before grunting "Yes sir" He looked briefly at Korra " I found that the cell of Prisoner 24601, was in violation of certain regulations within this prison and had gone inside to inspect and correct these instances further"

"And what happened as you went into the cell" The warden said smiling in an unnerving way towards Korra, it made her feel as if she was surrendering to the devil himself

"This thing" Morea motioned to Korra "Attacked me with fire bending, and thus I was forced to react and defend myself, the father, prisoner 24601, flung himself on to me, due to me trying to properly discipline the thing, and I was forced to bring in extra guards to subdue the man and his daughter before they were able to cause any more harm"

Morea smiled across the green room into the warden's eyes, both knew he was fudging the truth and both really didn't care. Each was as unscrupulous as the other, with both members seeing the opportunity to gain something, for Morea it was the ability to further force his will on the other prisoners, the warden however simply wanted to further damage their spirits, and what better way than to attack the prisoners than their own source of hope. Their eyes circled with the others for a moment as Korra's darkened knowing what was to come next.

"Is there anything else you need to add Sargent?" The warden placed his eyes back down on Korra, the child was looking forlornly onto the ground now, as if the cold stony floor was to provide her with some sort of comfort, of consolation.

"No sir" Those simple words were the final nails in the coffin. Korra felt an absent tear go down her face.

The warden took up some paperwork as if he had rehearsed the entire act, briefly reading as Korra softly wept across the room, not a single sound was made by either guilty party. The Warden broke the forced silence with a sigh putting his hands onto his hair, pretending to look quietly.

The wardens eyes now trailed to the stone faced guards "The normal punishment for these types of things would normally have your father hanged, and you my dear would be put into the freezer for two months, and if you would have survived, then you would be imprisoned again." He had to resist smiling at the thought of it, the little girls head shot up now a gleam of hopelessness graced upon them. "However this appears to be a touch harsh for me so I'm going to cut you a deal" The warden looked back at the confused face of Sargent Morea, before going back to the child, who had a tiny glimmer of hope left, the warden smiled to himself, that would soon be snuffed out. "I do believe we will send your father to the cooler, however you my dear, will be sent stony solitary confinement for the next week"

Korra now looked upon the smile of the man in front of her, she was a prideful child, she knew this whole thing was unjust, but she was smart enough to keep quiet not for her sake but her parents sake. If the warden had want to break her so be it, she would have to become unbreakable, in order to survive this. The warden noticed something as the little girl walked out of the room, if only lasted for a few fleeting moments but it was there on the girl's face: defiance. The door shut to their office leaving Sargent Morea and the warden once again alone.

Morea simply shook his head "You're letting her off easy"

The warden shrugged at his desk once again looking over his papers as if nothing had happened "Don't be angry at your enemies Morea, it makes you lose focus. Plus my little punishment gets both her, and that brute savage of her father, out of the way." He smiled at his own thoughts for a moment "I think one day, and that day may be very far off, she will be of use to us" he mumbles slipping the papers back into his desk.

"Still I was wondering do you think she could be the Avatar." Morea thought out loud more so to himself

"Nonsense" said the Warden, "Avatar Aang ended the cycle in the one hundred year war when he was shot by lightning, even if they brought him back to finish off the fire nation the era of the Avatar is over" The warden gathered up some papers now locking them in a briefcase "Besides, the dates don't match up, but still I think we can use up this girl, her fire bending is strong for her age, she will be an asset in our future"

It was cold that night, as the wind once again howled in sadness at the event, the young child, who had never slept alone before, now suddenly found herself all alone in a rocky cells, She sighed walking to the cold sleeping mat that awaited her, yet found she could not sleep, she now thought of her dad and what he had put him through. It there alone in the dark cold cell that the little girl now made a promise, she would have avenge the wrongful treatment of her family, but she could not simply do this as Korra, no, she had to become something more, she had to become unbreakable. She got up and aimed her fist at the wall firing a blast of fire which vanished upon hitting the cold stone, she would get her form right, even if it took her most of the night.

It was also notable that this was the first of many nights when earthquakes started to plague the compound.

THE END

**Third time trying LOK fanfic please read and review**


	2. Invictus Part 2

**Hey people I NEED a beta reader, or someone to check over my work, please message me. Anyway this chapter is based on how Korra grew up through various one shot like moments but then it turned into this, Also I broke my dominant hand, writing has gotten a bit harder for me. Perhaps I'll come back to this one day and repair it. But I do need a beta.**

Invictus: Part 2

_In the fell clutch of circumstance_

_I have not winced nor cried aloud._

_Under the bludgeonings of chance_

_My head is bloody, but unbowed._

"Hit me again!" He roared rushing toward at her with a sense of urgency, the man towered over Korra and was vastly larger. Instantly she rolled into a slip dodging the wild blow set before her, before snapping back into a low stance. She groaned slightly before striking, and slammed her fist forward into the man. Everything hurt, even breathing made her chest hurt. Yet even still with the pain there was adrenaline, she felt it inject into her veins urging her body to go on, it felt marvelous to keep attacking, as this was all she had ever been taught. She rushes him instantly releasing the spring in her arm, snapping forward in an equally powerful blow, the man jumps back away from her swing as Korra is fazed for a moment hitting nothing but air, he presses her toward now backing her up against the wall.

She doesn't fall for this trap and side steps the man shooting a warning jab, glancing off his defensive arm, wanting to keep her distance. Korra now decides to go on the offensive circling the man remaining just out of reach from his power shot. She out maneuvers him for a moment before tensing up and firing a serious right hook, slamming his ribcage, it was a fantastic shot yet the man before her was unfazed. She now had his attention again, she block another jab before briefly reeling back from a power shot, battering off the sides of her defensive arm.

She slides to the side realizing his mistake, he put too much power in that shot, this gives her precious seconds to execute a powerful combo, and her left hand juts out as her body firing like an arrow, her muscles release onward with a power shot to his face. With him disoriented Korra now goes on with the rest of the combo, lunging with her wrapped left hand in a sharp right hook, before springing back again, coiling up for the next shot finishing him off with a final left hook, before slipping back out of his range, and immediately goes back into her stance always ready for a counter attack.

Her challenger broke his stance, signaling the end of the fight. He stayed looking back at his young ten year old staring back at him with a calm look of tranquility even in the heat of battle. This expression appeared to belong on a warrior much older than the girl, yet it was over these past few years that Tonraq had watched his little girl grow up too fast. He had promised that on her tenth birthday that he would teach her how to be a real warrior on his time off. Korra had met this challenge with vigor.

"Alright, let's break," Tonraq finally said as his daughter finally relaxed, before looking around her at the small crowd which had gathered during the match mostly former water tribe soldiers, smiling at their general's daughter. They had watched Korra growing up, and fire bender or not she was one of them. This was how their family had survived these last ten years.

Yet even now as Korra aged, her mind became all-encompassing to that which was told to her, she had only read books (the few they managed to find) about the world. On some terms she still felt as a newborn still grasping at its new world trying to comprehend the space around her. She would stare out at the stars each night wondering what they were. One of her first books was of the constellations, it was her favorite, until one of the guards had taken it from her and destroyed it, out of simple spite. But Korra still remembered, each clear night she would map out the constellations, while Senna would tell her stories, the stars would dance and she would smile at their beauty as if they were fireflies watching from above in the sky.

Now relaxed, she stowed away her dream, within a small area of her mind that was her escape. She started to unwrap her hand binding made of knitted pieces of cloth, she folded the clumsy pieces in a tight roll before finally matching her father's lingering grin. He was proud of her, and just in this moment that was all which mattered.

She walked back to the edge of the courtyard, and rested, shutting her eyes tightly enjoying the moment. Sweat poured down her entire body, and she breathed heavily, even if her breaths weren't coming in gasps. Her arms flopped useless to her sides. Air filled the now ravished lungs in slow deeps breaths, as she sat there going into a crisscross position. She calmly focused returning her breathing back to its normal pace.

She felt her father walk over beside her, and for a brief moment the two sat in silence simply enjoying each other's presence. Feeling something over her head she screwed open her eyes as she felt a coolness to her hand. Tonraq sat beside her, a filled cup of water in his hands. Korra smiled slightly as she reached up and grabbed the crude cup, pouring a stream of icy water into her mouth. Tonraq, also breathing heavily.

Tonraq chuckled as he started to unwrap his hands. "Tired?"

"Mmmhmm," Korra grunted, closing her eyes again. Embracing the newfound endorphins now flooding her system.

"Well, you're advancing extremely well," Tonraq commented, "you have more stamina that just any other teenager I know. Not many teens can pull off five extended rounds with me."

"I'm special," Korra murmured, "Plus you hold back."

Tonraq laughed. "True, true." He paused for a second, looking up his eyes were lost interest thought, he was going through something right now Korra could tell.

"What?" Korra sat straight up, despite her earlier calmness sensing her father's sudden uneasiness. Every muscle in her abdomen screeched to be relaxed again (due to the twenty-five hundred sit-ups from the day before). Yet she ingnored them, looking at her father with a decisive gaze

"Let's go back to the cell for the night" Tonraq answered "I think we've had enough practice, it's time to go in with your mother tonight"

Korra took another sip of her water greedily gulping the cool liquid down, "Nah, I think I'll stay out here for about thirty minutes I want to practice my fire bending stances."

"You have the scroll" Tonraq asked looking at the girl.

She pulled the tattered piece of paper out of her pocket, with intricate detailed pictures gracing the bit of parchment "yep" Korra said confidently

"Remember" Tonraq warned "Don't let the guards catch you with that"

"I'll be fine dad" She paused looking back at the tattered piece of paper, as she held onto it desperately as a lifeline. "So where are you going" she could sense her dad was lost in thought.

"Just around" he said " I'm just looking into getting a new blanket, for you, you know the winter months are coming, now run along, get training" He said smiling before calmly walking off.

Korra instantly went into her fire bending stance practicing completely focused back on the task reading the valuable knowledge which laid upon the paper. She tired her stances extensively shadow boxing with an imaginary opponent she fired her shots at this figment, she fired two jabs, before responding in a power shot slamming into her invisible enemy. Once she got over-zealous and fired one singular fire blast out in the alley, causing a flare of light into the darkness. This got the attention of two guards, who walked in a predatory way towards the young girl. She notices them circling her.

She noticed this, pausing for a brief moment, trying to observe the two guards as they watched her. They were a part of Morea's unit, and had made it their personal mission to make her life a living hell. The taller of the two guards walked up to her with a wicked smile graced upon his lips, as Korra discretely put the thin parchment of fire bending back into her coat pocket. These two would use anything they could find as an excuse to put her into the cooler for a couple hours and she knew it.

"Hey cockroach" he shouted at her, as the young ten year old stared at him "Didn't ya get the memo, no fire bending in the courtyard"

Korra felt the other guard's presence behind her as she, as he rushed forward roughly grabbing her arm, Korra jerked backwards and punched with her left hand out of reflex hitting the larger target in the nose, the guard shrugged it off slightly, before backing up.

"You better be careful" he choked out "Your big old dad isn't here to protect you" he threatened, holding his nose, Korra now noticed it was bleeding

"I don't want any trouble" She warned turning back to the first guard, dropping out of her fighting stance, before looking around, the water tribe soldiers had gone back to their cells she was alone in this fight.

"Maybe you shouldn't have been born then" she heard the second guard curse behind her, Korra dropped back down in uneasiness, ready to fight, this wasn't a cooler trip, this was a lynching, where the guards would preoccupy their time by picking on a lone prisoner. But now as the apprehension hung in the air, Korra prepared herself to hit back.

They both rushed her, rapidly closing the distance between them and her, while Korra bolted for the second guard hitting him in the nose with a quick jab before tripping him, causing the poor man to barrel into his companion, as they collapsed in a rather comical heap. Korra smiled at their disdain as they quickly got up to face her. For the guards of this prison these two had practically no fighting experience, the first guard charged her, punching forward as Korra easily side stepped before hitting a massive body shot. As he reeled back in pain the second guard, came behind her, using his superior strength and weight to grab the small ten year old into a gigantic bear hug, holding her there as she struggled

"I've got her man" He yelled desperately to his coconspirator "come on hit her!" The first guard now got up and started to use the trapped girl as a punching bag, hitting her over and over again.

After about his fifth punch kora kneed upwards into a rather sensitive place as the first guard reeled backward, before biting onto the man's arm causing him to yelp with surprise. The two backed off, and looked back up seeing the icy blue fury in the fire bending girl's eyes.

"You don't like fire bending" she yelled at the two non-bending guards "I'll show you fire bending!" Flames danced out of her hands as she had seen on the scroll thoroughly scorching the area just before her, she breathed inward as newfound energy burst into her lungs" as two more blasts busted from her hands pluming outwards around the pair in a circle. The two guards held onto each other desperately. But before Korra could truely attack them, walls of earth erupted around the pair, shielding them from the terror of the flames.

Korra turned now to see the snake man Morea, has the manipulated the ground her causing the young girl to break stance as she plunged into the ground, Korra struggled as the sand wrapped and hardened around her body, encasing her, two earth bending guards stood behind Morea, and they rushed forward as Morea freed the incapacitated girl form her stony prison, only to have the guards claim her hands with chains. She looked back at the two bullying guards each with smug grins at the young girl's predicament. Still her facial expression was clear: next time you mess with me I won't go easy on you.

"Where do you want to throw her sir" One of the earth bending guards asked Morea

"Put her in the cooler for right now" the snake man said eying the nonbenders "I seems that I need to deal with a discipline problem amongst my troops" he said apathetically.

The two guards preformed something along the lines of a salute, before taking Korra to the dark tunnels where the coolers were kept. "Maybe this'll teach the rat a lesson" She heard one of the guards say as they walked to the cooler. They roughly held her, too tight for any sort of comfort, as the tattered remains of her boots crackled on the ground the rock digging into her feet, the chains they had wrapped around her feet, were created of the finest wrought iron and clanked around her ankles, making it rather painful to even walk, while the chains around her arms never ceased their constant prodding on the young girl's muscular wrists.

Eventually the trio arrived to the cell, her cell, as fall as she knew, she was the only one to be occupying this cell. These coolers did not require technology to cool them instead they stayed off in a secluded part of the base, where a system of caves resided, they had been swept of their thick ice and relied on the outside weather to power them. they were a small space, more like a rocky crevice, made to stuff about two or three people inside, her chains were released as the was once again, as she was roughly shoved into the crevice in the rock as the door a giant boulder was roughly closed behind her, locking her in the cold dark space. She knew every rock in here having long memorized the entire cell, and allowed to get into as comfortable a position as possible, and briefly blew some fire, attempting to prolong the small bits of heat that was now leaving in the shadow, before resigning to hugging onto herself in the darkness.

She sat there for the longest time in that cold solitary cell, staring up at the nothingness before her, thinking about her tiny place that the universe had simply doomed her to. She wondered of her family, and if she had caused them any extra trouble that she was sending them through. Korra's eyes were itchy, as she shut them calmly. She could almost feel the beloved escape of sleep closing in on her a few moments later, but was jolted awake by an unpleasant, gruff voice. "Get up you worthless piece of meat".

The voice was rough baritone, that managed to echo throughout the tiny chamber, and reverberated back down repeating its sullen order, to the right of him Korra could feel the movement of the metal door, as low key light fluttered into the room instantly blinding her. She was gruffly grabbed on each side by a set of rock clad hands, a fist from one of the two implanted itself painfully into her stomach as Korra lurched backwards, and her vision instantly went blurry.

The gruff voice sounded again "Stupid fire bending kid"

Korra swayed back in their grasp as she regained composure, and focusing on the head guard before her, focusing on the blurry outline of the man before her, with a smart comeback in her throat, but managed to hold her insult. She took in a deep breath, and felt serenity for a moment clutching at her very soul. Energy filled her lungs, and for a single moment, Korra felt free. Instantly unwinding she shot outward sending a massive blast of fire towards the guard's chest, he spots it just in time to block the flame with his arms but the blast still manages to fling him backwards, into the corresponding wall.

The immediate retribution of her captors is harsh, as Korra feels herself flung downwards, on the uneven rocky ground which digs in her face, a foot plants itself into her chest, bruising ribs, followed by another kick, "Enough!" The guards quickly halt their onslaught now turning their attention to the head guard, now recovering from the fireblast," leave" the head guard says sharply. Korra now saw that the guard she insulted was Morea

The two earthbenders silently nod and file out of the stony cell leaving Korra alone with Morea. Korra feels a slick coppery taste in her mouth, as she looks back up at the harsh man. "Look at me" the Sargent says with a quiet bitterness, Korra refuses to acknowledge him and simply kneels there quietly looking at the ground, her ribs were burning, and her mouth was bleeding.

Suddenly the force of a stony hand radiated across her chest sending Korra to the ground, the head guard wiped his hand off before staring at the girl who held her stomach from a now forming bruise.

The guard sighs quietly before looking back down at Korra. A look of pure fury was held in that bruised and bloody body, of pure hatred and malice." I don't know what you're trying to prove," Morea starts out "And personally I really don't care, but let me make myself clear I will break you, I will beat you down, you see to me you're nothing but dirt, you understand? I can crush you right now like the pathetic insect you are, and that will be the last memory anyone will have of you. There isn't any way you get out of this one, I will see to it personally. You'll stay in here all night if you have to"

Morea took one last turn around at Korra, who sat back in the darkness before closing the door, the darkness returned again, embracing Korra. As she sat back again staring at her shadow, the young teen began to gently weep

After a short time when the final tear had subsided Korra now felt the ease of calmness wash over her as she tried to dream of the constellations once more, a piece of serenity that continued to be absent in her life, her thoughts obliged as she once again thought out the stars and imagined them gracing her with their simple presence, and yet it was here in this dark cell that Korra began to notice a small light, it appeared fro. nowhere and sprung out like a shooting star, into a shining woman, the child looked back in fear at this creature, and still felt ashamed, why should such a beautiful spirit be forced to look down on some poor creature such as her?

"What are you" Korra asked quietly, staring at the spirit, with teary eyes,

The shining woman blinked, and stared in a calm face. "I am avatar Koyshi" her voice echoed magnificently around the dark room, she towered over the young girl with a sense of superiority, she wore the finest robes of deep green, wrapped by a golden band across her chest, she wore face paint, mostly of white, with her eyes accented by a deep red, the pure mask of a warrior, Korra backed away slightly out of fear of the spirit before her, she had no idea what this Avatar thing was, all she knew was that this person was an earth bender, and thus was not to be trusted. The strange woman cocked her head slightly at the fearful girl as if looking into her very soul. The woman walked forward slightly. "I there anything you would like to tell me child"

Korra took a deep breath determined to give this new being, no words came from her mouth, before the calm eyes finally broke her nerve. The tears that had been building up for so long in her eyes started to stream down her cheeks. She closed her eyes and held back a sob as she looked back up at the trusting eyes of the woman. "I'm so afraid" She nearly screamed in anger, "My parents are trapped because of me I— I don't know I" Her voice broke as more tears streamed down her face.

She breathed deeply, her eyes closed. The silence was almost as unbearable as Koyshi's calm behavior. She clutched herself tightly.

She felt a gentle touch on her cheek. Warmth spread through her cold body, like the light she had seen in the darkness. She opened her eyes to see Koyshi calmly lying beside her long fingers brushing her cheek. Koyshi was smiling, her eyes gleaming.

"You have been through a lot, haven't you," she said quietly, "I know the fear you have, the one that the warden, and Morea invoke so well. I know this is not your first time in this dark cold cell alone, and I don't blame you for your fear, no one should. There is and will always be darkness in this world, and as a result there will always be fear. However there is something stronger than fear, and that Korra is hope, and with time it will make you more powerful than you ever imagined. It's the greatest fight we have within ourselves, to bear this pain without breaking. I cannot take away your pain Korra, for that must be your own struggle, but please Korra... I need you to hope again."

Kyoshi finished before reaching in her silken coat and picking out a single piece of tattered paper, and gave it to Korra before standing up and disappearing. Apparently into thin air. Korra struggled for a moment to read the title on that tattered paper.

"Invictus" She said out loud in that dark cell alone

(Page break)

"Men" Tonraq said sharply "I come to you today as a leader and as a father" He paused walking toward to the center of the circle "We here have watched my daughter the final source of hope for this tribe, as she has held on, and grown up in these harsh positions, and so I come to you today asking for help, we need to get her out of here, she needs to live her own life" he says harshly "For she is innocent. One week ago while working in the mines I have discovered a stable anti-chamber, what I propose is that we work in shifts to fashion this anti-chamber into a tunnel allowed for her and my wife, with supplies to leave this place. He walks silently to venture around the circle making eye contact with his troops "I am asking for your support in this matter and wait patiently for your answer"

The group of prisoners conversed with one another for a brief moment, looking around with fear as to the mere possibility for escape. Before a man of the group stood up to reflect the opinion of the group, this was how the tribal system in the south worked with the chief and tribe working off each other.

The man stood up and looked his general into his eyes "We will help you in any way required of us, but general, you will be escaping as well, we will stay here, and survive, a man's place is with his family you of all people should know that"

THE END


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